Yoder Newsletter Online

Issue Number 27 - - - April 1996

(Thanks to Milton H.Walker of Somerset, Pa. and Mayla Yoder
of Berlin, Pa. for submitting this article and thanks to the Somerset
Daily American for giving its permission for us to reprint--Tobias
was YR23972, son of David Yoder and Sarah Lehman)

The life of Civil War veteran Tobias Yoder could almost be
made into a television miniseries. The Somerset County soldier
not only served in the Union Army with fervor but also cheated
death on more than one occasion.

Born in Shade Township be 1827, Yoder was one of four brothers
who enlisted in the Union Army. John was killed; Henry died of
disease, and Moses returned from the war and took up residency
in Stonycreek Township.

Growing up on a farm and being a woodsman ultimately caused
Yoder to develop strong muscles and a powerful stature. He was
well known in this area as the champion wrestler of Somerset County.

According to Yoder's death notice in Tlte Somerset Herald,
March 31, 1897: "No more perfect specimen of physical manhood
or braver warrior ever shouldered a musket."

Before he ever became a soldier, Yoder cheated death two times.
He was run over by a hand car on the railroad one time, which
resulted in several broken ribs. On another occasion, a coal mine
collapsed on him, killing the dog alongside of him and requiring
unbelievable strength on his part to dig to the surface.

At the time of his enlistment in July 1861, he measured 42
inches across the chest and was 34 years old, an unusual age to
become a soldier because many who served were in their teens.
He enlisted in the Co. A, 10th Regiment, the very first company
from the county to march off to war.

On June 30, 1862, at New Market Crossroads near Richmond, Va,
Yoder's company got caught in a crossfire from regiments belonging
to Stonewall Jackson and A.P. Hill and once again, Yoder cheated
death.

Seven bullets hit him in what he termed "less than a man
could count to five." (Somerset Herald). Two balls went through
his chest, one of which crushed his left shoulder blade. One hit
him in the side and landed under the hip bone and the other lodged
close to the spine near his kidneys. Three other bullets also
wounded him. All this never knocked the man down but eventually
two comrades pulled him to the rear of battle

Afterwards, he and other wounded Union soldiers were left in
the hands of the Confederates, who tended to their own wounded
first and occasionally gave Yoder water from a nearby brook. Three
days after he was wounded, a Confederate wagon drove within 20
feet of him. They told him if he could get up and get on the wagon,
they would wait. "I'm a little stiff," said Yoder, who
was eventually grabbed by the impatient Confederates and pitched
into the wagon (Somerset Herald)

He became a prisoner at Libby Prison but refused medical attention.
Fearing that maggots would infest his wounds, he used a window
stop with a nail in it to reach out his cell window and pull some
tobacco leaves loose so he could plug up his bullet holes.

However, the tobacco theft was discovered and he was reported
to the authorities. He spent 16 days in solitary confinement at
Belle Isle.

He spent 40 days in prison altogether, going from 180 pounds
to 116. He was then exchanged and sent to Chester Hospital near
Philadelphia, where doctors gave him 48 hours to live. Those doctors,
however. were not aware of Yoder's unbelievable resiliency. His
recovery astounded the medical community so much that the surgeon-in-chief
in Washington D.C. made a special trip to Chester to study his
case.

In January 1863, Yoder returned home to Somerset County. But
after hearing in March that his regiment was recruiting again,
he was ready to go back to service, traveling to Washington D.C.
to join up. Even though officials refused to let him join, he
fought anyway and was at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 2
and 3 of 1863.

When his enlistment was up, doctors were not going to approve
his request for reenlistment. "After I had stripped for examination,
I kicked up my heels and executed a little dance on my way out
of the room to show them how lively I was," said Yoder, who
did not want to be left behind (Sometset Herald). He stayed in
the army until the end of the war and was there the day Gen. Robert
E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Va.

Yoder died on March 24, 1897. while visiting his son, Grant,
in Waterloo, lowa. He and his wife are buried in Husband Cemetery.
He died at 70 years of age and had never lost a tooth in his lifetime.
His stature remained "hale and a hearty," (Somerset
Herald)

For some years prior to his death, he was having some problems
with the bullet near his kidney but because an operation to remove
it was too risky, he carried it and another bullet to the grave.

According to his death notice in the Somerset Herald: "One
of the strangest features of this remarkable man's experience
is that he felt no pain whatsoever during the time that he received
the wounds and their subsequent healing, and was able to eat any
food that he could secure. He seemed literally a man devoid of
nerves or the sense of feeling. He was a thoroughly upright, conscientious,
Christian man and was highly esteemed by all who knew him."

One of Yoder's descendants, Clark Brocht of Rockwood RD 3,
who is also an area historian, believes his great-great-great
grandfather Tobias Yoder survived insurmountable circumstances
for a purpose.

"A normal person would have died from such an ordeal but
I suppose it just wasn't his time yet," said Brocht, who
is descended from Yoder's daughter Mrs. Sarah Fisher. "It's
a wonder the minnie balls never hit any major arteries and that
Tobias did not die from infection."

Another descendant of Yoder's was his daughter Ida's son, the
late Dr. Earl O. Haupt, who was a general practitioner in Somerset
and also a well-known historian.

According to Brocht. Dr. Haupt's wife, Elizabeth "Betty"
Haupt, a former director of the Somerset Historical Center, told
him that Tobias's image was used for the Civil War monument at
the Somerset County Courthouse. Her mother-in-law Ida (one of
Tobias's younger daughter) told her this family story.

Although Brocht believes the soldier on the monument looks
like Tobias Yoder, he has never found any documentation on the
subject.

"'Once you start studying your roots, it makes you appreciate
your own life.Our ancestors lived very hard lives. I'm proud Tobias
Yoder is a prime example of a courageous American soldier".
Brocht said.

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Yoder House Groundbreaking Draws a Crowd

The Ground Breaking Ceremony for the Yoder House was held

Saturday, October 21, 1995 at the Spruce Artisan Village/Penn
Alps,

Grantsville, Md. A goodly crowd from several states assembled
for

this event. The opening ceremony was moderated by Lowell Bender,

and remarks were made by Jack Dueck and Kenneth L.Yoder. Pastor

Johnny Crist -a 12th generation Yoder from Atlanta, Ga. gave
the

Ground Breaking message. Singing was led by Doris Ours.

This was followed by the actual ground breaking, in which

representatives of three different Yoder families jointly performed
the

honors: Ray Yount from the Conrad Yoder line of NC; Carl Yoders
of

the "Yoders" family of SW Pa (YNL 24), and Doris
Ours of the Amish

line which settled in the Somerset County, Pa-Grantsville,
Md area

(YR261 Line). They used a "Rutter Spade" made for
the occasion by

10th generation Yoder descendant Dwight Yoder.

Reports were given on the progress, vision, and financial status

of the Yoder House. An added report was furnished on the Yoder

Reunion in held in Hickory, North Carolina last August. The
"Widow

Barbara Yoder Bible", a Yoder rocker & coverlet, and
a hinge and

stone from the Joderhubel (Yoder Hill) in Switzerland were
on display

along with other Yoder memorabilia.

For further information contact: Yoder House Project, Spruce

Forest Artisan Village, 177 Casselman Road, Grantsville, Md
21536.

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The Yoder Newsletter- Founded 1983 by

Ben F Yoder (1913-1992); Chris Yoder & Rachel Kreider

*********************************************************

FROM THE EDITORS

Chris Yoder, Editor, Battle Creek,MI; John W. Yoder, Circulation

Manager, Middlebury,IN; Rachel Kreider, Senior Contributing

Editor, Goshen,IN. Other Contributors: John W. Yoder; Richard
H.

Yoder, Bechtelsville, PA; Hubert A. Yoder, Charlotte, NC; Dorothy

Yoder Coffman, Malvern, PA; Dr. Don Yoder, Devon, PA; Neil

Wilfong, Cleveland, NC; and Dr. Delbert Gratz, Bluffton, OH

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SEND YNL CORRESPONDENCE:

-Dealing with circulation issues such as new or renewed

subscriptions, changes of address, orders for back issues to:
Yoder

Newsletter, P.O. Box 594, Goshen, IN 46527-0594.

-Dealing with ancestral queries or contributions for future
YNLs or

archives (such as reunion notices, letters to the Editor, copies
of Bible

records or other historical information) to: Chris Yoder, 203

Lakeshire Rd., Battle Creek, MI 49015 (or by electronic mail
to

"75757.3371@compuserve.com").

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YNL PRICE INFORMATION $$$$

The YNL subscription is on an annual basis-two issues for $3.

BACK ISSUES of the YNL are $1 per issue. A bound set of back

issues 1-25 is available for $25 plus $3 postage and handling).
These

may be ordered from the Goshen YNL address.

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YODER RELATED BOOKS

Yoder Newsletter Issues 1 Through 25 - bound 240 page

volume includes a topical index of major articles, an "every
name

index". Order from: The Yoder Newsletter, P.O.Box 594,
Goshen, IN

46527. (Price $25 plus $3 postage and handling for each book).

Reuben Yoder Family and it's Ancestry by Chris Yoder, 1983.

Reuben Yoder was the son of two generations of Amish Bishops
in

Somerset County,Pa... both named Christian Yoder. Copies have

recently come out of storage and are again available. $7 each
postage

paid from: Chris Yoder, 203 Lakeshire Rd., Battle Creek,MI
49015.

Amish Immigrants of Waldeck and Hesse by John Byler.

Special Offer for YNL Readers- Amish Immigrants of Waldeck
and

Hesse, 231pgs. 263 Amish immigrants-including several Yoders,
52

different surnames. Regular price $22 (inc. P&H)...for
YNL readers

only $17.50. (in quantity- 6 for $75-postpaid).Order from John
M

Byler, 5845-B CR 80 Rt 3, Frederickstown, OH 43019.

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SWISS MENNONITE HERITAGE TOUR

DO YOU WANT TO CLIMB THE JODERHORN?

Noted historian Dr. Delbert Gratz will be leading another of
his Swiss

Mennonite Heritage Tours from 16 Sep to 7 Oct 1996. If there
is

sufficient interest, he has offered to add a special visit
to and "climb"

(up walking paths) of the Joderhorn. (See YNL 25 for more details
on

the location and naming of this 9,960 ft Alpine mountain).
Dr. Gratz's

and 32 (as Ira was b. 1906-and is no more than 2 yrs old...
this appears to help date the photo).

- - - - - - - -

Folks submitting Family Group Information:

Linda Bacon, Carmel,IN- Abraham Y./Catherine Troutman (X)

RobertW. Yoder, Aristes,Pa- Abraham Y./Catherine Troutman (X)

Allen E.Yoder, Eureka,Mo- Wm.Brown Yoder (OH13414)

Wm.E.Yoder,Kutztown,Pa- Wm.D. Yoder (OY43456)

Edgar Yoder, Harrisburg,Pa- Alfred Yoder (B2)

Samuel G.Yoder, Shoemakersville,Pa- Jacob S.Yoder (B4)

Marvin W. Yoder, Reading, Pa- Manias K. Yoder (OH132542)

Margaret E. Stanley, Lewistown,Pa-Joseph P.Yoder (YR117722)

Eva Mae Barton & Eva Mae Crist, York,Pa- Solomon Yoder

(YR261191)&(YR121736)

Joan T. Herbanek, Jacksonville,Fl- Henry S Yoder (OH14526)

Gordon Yoder, Dallas, TX- Amos Yoder (YR12a36)

Fred A. Yoder, Fountain Hills, AZ- Denis P.Yoder (YR2512461)

Max L. Dinges, Marietta,Pa- Elias Yoder (?OH13334)

Alvan L.Miller, Aragon,Ga.-Reuben Yoder (YR2337a)

Sara Y.Sharadin, McClure,Pa- Henry S. Yoder (OH14526)

Hatten S.Yoder Jr.,Bethesda, MD- Andrew Klock Yoder (OH132852)

Robert E.Keller, Temple, Pa- ?Adam Yoder, (OY43321)

Carl Yoder, Wilton,Ct- John Yoder (YB1372b)

La Mae Perez, Annandale, NJ- Jacob Yoder (OY4379)

Gwen Yoder, Rahway, NJ- Abraham Y./Catherine Troutman(X)

Charles B. Yoder, Douglasville,Pa- Commodore K. Yoder (YB256b)

Maynard A.Yoder, Norristown,Pa- Henry K. Yoder (YB135134)

Marilyn Markley,Pennsburg,Pa-Benjamin Yoder

m. Brigitta Hausman (AR)

Ruth Yoder DeLong, Fleetwood,Pa- Henry S. Yoder (OH14526)

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Yothers Family Holds Reunion

The Bucks County Yothers family held their 71st Reunion on
June 4 at the Haycock Mennonite Church Grove, Quakertown, with
54 people present.

Dan Hunsberger, Perkasie, president of the Yothers family awarded
the following prizes: the oldest person present was Naomi Yothers,
Souderton, age 90m years. The youngest person was Rebekah Hackman,
age 11 months, daughter of Dennis and Ketrina (Miller) Hackman,
Quakertown.

Chad Benner, Silverdale and Kelly Deily, Bath, were the winners
of the traditional guessing games.

The immigrant of this family was Hans Yoder and 1717 is likely
the year in which he settled at the Great Swamp, near Coopersburg.
He purchased 99 acres from Jouph Krowden of Trevose in 1720 for
15 pounds.

The Yoders were Mennonites and Hans Yoder, his wife Anna and
on Hans Jr donated tbe land to the Saucon Mennonite Meeting House
which was erected circa 1738. Many of Hans Yoder's decendants
are buried there.

Yoder's grandson, Jacob Yoder, changed his name to Yothers.
All of the Bucks County Yothers families are hls descendants.